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Who has tried "TIDAL" vs other streaming applications?

Hello, I'm new to Audiogon, this is my first posting into Forums.

I enjoy streaming audio from my PC and have been using Spotify for a number of years now (college student discount to premium $5 a month). I just recently stumbled upon a App called TIDAL, that streams Lossless 16/44.1FLAC with their "HI-FI" subscription (Student $10 a month). Since I can queue up Spotify and Tidal at the same time, I was able to do an A/B and used Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. I noticed that TIDAL indeed sounds better to me but am convinced none of my family members could tell a difference. I then did an A/B with TIDAL and the actual Brothers in Arms CD, to my surprise TIDAL sounded scary close, if not just as good as the CD! This is hard for me to believe, I think I'm just trying to justify the extra cost of TIDAL on a crazy tight student budget, maybe its a placebo effect? I need to drop one of the services, but which one? I would appreciate your thoughts please... Thank you!
My system:
PC = Gaming Rig I built myself, using dedicated high quality audio card.
Krell KAV 400xi integrated
Sonus Faber Electa's with Sunfire HRS Sub
Cambridge AZUR 840C CDP/DAC
Luxman T117 Tuner
Sony SCD - C2000ES SACD Player
Kimber Silver Streak throughout  


grm
jond's avatar
jond
5,699 posts
 
This was posted in another thread it's a bit vague but seems relevant.

http://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/6972/high-resolution-audio-you-can-hear-me-now?id=%2D13...

I don't to hi-rez at all myself.
grm OP
149 posts
 
Hi,
I would like to chime in one more time about the SQ of TIDAL.

I still have, but will soon drop, my subscription to Spotify Premium and keep TIDAL. Why? Because after having TIDAL for some time now,  I queued up the album by "OMI Me 4U", both on Spotify and TIDAL and performed an A/B, Tidal crushed Spotify hands down in terms of SQ! I can only guess for members that do not notice a substantial improvement with TIDAL vs Spotify, that there may be something amiss in their systems? I really don't know.

For me, and "MY" ears, TIDAL has proven to me that this is the streaming App to keep. For those that do not hear any substantial difference, stick with the less costly Spotify Premium.

Hey, life is good, no worries!
devilboy
1,175 posts
 
@grm, are you running Tidal in hifi mode ONLY? Meaning, are you also running Audirvana, or is it just Tidal by itself?
grm OP
149 posts
 
Hello devilboy,
I am running TIDAL in HIFI mode exclusively. I am not sure what Audirvana is, but I am running TIDAL through Chrome on my PC.

Thanks for the question! By the way, what is "Audirvana?
hgeifman
2,113 posts
 
Do you like the piano? If yes, search Tidal for Eric Harry and select "The Language of Flowers".  He has several other albums on Tidal that are also recommended.

Eric created Calm Radio for music streaming and has maybe 70+ tracks of different types of music. Sorry, it is compressed but his piano music on Tidal is excellent.  See:
https://calmradio.com/

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